Antenna mast mounting bracket



Aug. 1, 1967 F. w. GOODMAN ANTENNA MAST MOUNTING BRACKET Filed Oct. 22, 1965 United States Patent 015 3,333,802 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 ice 3,333,802 ANTENNA MAST MOUNTING BRACKET Floyd W. Goodman, 114 Plaza St., West Helena, Ark. 72390 Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 502,209

' 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-43) This invention relates to an adjustable mounting bracket for television antenna masts, and the like.

Television antennas mounted on top of the mast or pole (anywhere from ten to one hundred (100) feet high above the mounting surface) held in place by guy wire, are subject to deterioration due to exposure to the weather elements, such as wind damage, breakage of antenna wire and replacement of antenna itself, due to breakage. The antenna (on top of the mast) must be lowered to the mounting surface for repair and raised again after repair. Antennas are also moved from one house to another house, when people move from one location to another, and again the mast must be lowered to the mounting surface and raised again in the new location.

This adjustable mounting bracket allows for the quick lowering and raising of the mast without damage to the roof.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of an adjustable mounting bracket of the kind indicated, which along with being more rugged and less subject to damage, as an incident of being installed and in the adjusted, renders easy and quick the release of the bottom end of the mast, so the mast and antenna may be lowered to the mounted surface for repair, while at the same time rendering it unnecessary to remove the pivot bolt or disturb the adjustment of the original guy wires, thereby making the component replacement and re-erection of the mast a simple and quickly performed operation.

The whole idea of this invention is making it unnecessary to take bolts out or guy wires loose from their moorings. The cutout slot 38 in bottom of 30 and cotter key 44 make it unnecessary to remove bolts or guy wire in order to take mast down from upright position.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary outboard elevation, partly broken away and in section, showing a television antenna mast supported on a slanting roof by means of a bracket of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical transverse section, taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged and exploded perspective view, of the components of the mounting bracket.

Referring in detail to the drawings, S designates a surface upon which a television antenna, or similar mast M is mounted, by means of a mounting bracket B, of the present invention, the surface S, in this instance, being disposed at a downward and outward angle.

The bracket B comprises a base 10 of U-shaped or channel form, having a fiat bottom wall 12, and parallel spaced upstanding side walls or arms 14. In the interests of weight reduction and concentration of material, the arms 14 are of isosceles triangular shape, and are formed with aligned holes 16, centered relative to the apices 18, of the arms, and relative to the length of the base 10, and equally spaced above the base bottom wall 12. The bottom wall 12, also in the interests of weight and material conservation, is provided with isosceles triangular longitudinal extensions 20 having centered bolt holes 22, located far enough away from the components associated with the arms 14, to provide adequate clearance therewith, while providing a broad area of supportive engagement between the bottom Wall 12 and the support surface S. It is to b noted that the base 10 is designed for installation as well, on horizontal surfaces, and on perpendicular surfaces, and to be nailed or bolted thereto, as indicated at 24, the fasteners employed, being engaged through the bolt holes 22 of the extensions 20.

A replaceable pivot bolt 26 is passed through the holes 16 of the base arms 14, has a head 28 engaged with the outer side of one arm 14, and a nut 29 engaged with the outer side of the inner arm 14.

The bolt 26 serves to support the associated mast M, and a mast socket 30, in which the mast is secured. The mast socket 30 is of square cross section and vertically elongated tubular form, having squared and parallel upper and lower edges 32 and 34, respectively, the distance between any two opposed parallel walls 36 thereof being only slightly greater than the outside diameter of the conventional cylindrical tubular mast M.

The lower edges 32 of two opposed walls 36 of the mast socket 30, are formed with similar, centered and aligned notches 38, having downwardly flaring side edges 40 and arcuate convex upper edges 42, the latter being of substantially the same diameter as the pivot bolt 26, and downwardly engaged thereon, within and between the base arms 14, with which the related socket walls 36 are engaged, to eliminate play. For retaining the socket 30 captive, relative to the base, but easily removable therefrom, a cotter pin 44, is removably engaged and secured through holes 46, formed at the same centered and opposed locations, in the remaining walls of the socket 30, on a level below the bolt 26. One of the latter socket walls is provided, near the upper edge 32 of the socket 30, with a radial set screw 48.

The base 10 having been anchcored in place on the support surface S, and the socket having been applied to the base, as above indicated, the mast M is downwardly engaged in the socket 30, so that its lower end 50 rests upon the bolt 26. The set screw 48 is then tightened against the mast to hold the same in place. It is here to be noted that, were the socket 30 of the usual cylindrical form, tightening of the set screw 48, against the mast M, would have a marked tendency to distort such a socket, to an out-ofround condition, producing binding of the mast M in the socket, and rendering diflicult its subsequent removal from the socket, from this cause and from the binding effect of rust or other corrosion developing at the points of contact of mast and socket. Such distortion and collapse of the socket and binding of the mast therein, are substantially eliminated or reduced, by making the socket 30 rectangular, for greater resistance to distortion, by the pressure of the set screw 48, and by eliminating large areas of contact between the mast and the socket, while providing adequate support for the mast.

The guy wires (not shown) associated with the mast M, having been applied and tightened, the installation of the mast M, relative to the bracket B is complete.

When in due course, it becomes necessary or desirable to lower the mast and antenna for repairs, removal of the pivot bolt and disturbance and retightening and readjustment of the guy Wires are unnecessary, because all that is necessary is to loosen the set screw 48, remove the cotter pin 44, slide the socket 30 up along the mast M, letting bottom end of mast rest on pivot bolt 26, letting top of mast lean against guy wires, move bottom end of mast down along sloped roof of building until top of mast is down to mounted surface. Make repairs to mast and antenna, push mast and antenna into upright position, and let socket 30 down to pivot bolt 26, and replace cotter pin 44 and retighten set screw 48.

With this invention you only have one part to take loose (the cotter key 44). If you have to take loose rusted bolts and/ or guy wires from their moorings, the taking down of antenna from its upright position can be difiicult and time-consuming.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a base adapted to be secured upon a supporting surface, said base having a bottom wall bearing upon said surface and upstanding parallel arms, a pivot bolt extending between said arms and spaced above said bottom wall, a socket formed in its lower end with opposed vertical notches removably engaged over the pivot bolt between the base arms, second means removably secured across the socket and engaged beneath the pivot bolt for retaining the socket captive to the base, a mast removably engaged in the socket and resting upon the pivot bolt, and first means on the socket releasably engaged with the mast for holding the mast on the socket.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said socket is of rectangular tubular form, said socket having opposed Walls engaged with the inner sides of the base arms, said notches being formed in the lower edges of said opposed walls.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said socket is formed in its Wall with opposed holes located on a level below the pivot bolt, and said second means comprises a cotter pin engaged through the opposed holes.

References Cited ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner. JOHN PETO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A BASE ADAPTED TO BE SECURED UPON A SUPPORTING SURFACE, SAID BASE HAVING A BOTTOM WALL BEARING UPON SAID SURFACE AND UPSTANDING PARALLEL ARMS, A PIVOT BOLT EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ARMS AND SPACED ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL, A SOCKET FORMED ON ITS LOWER END WITH OPPOSED VERTICAL NOTCHES REMOVABLY ENGAGED OVER THE PIVOT BOLT BETWEEN THE BASE ARMS, SECOND MEANS REMOVABLY SECURED ACROSS THE SOCKET AND ENGAGED BENEATH THE PIVOT BOLT FOR RETAINING THE SOCKET CAPTIVE TO THE BASE, A MAST 